Dear Colleagues,
The House of Representatives commemorates 21 March as "Mediterranean Day", as established in 2008 by a decision of the Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly, of which the House is a founding member. This year's "Mediterranean Day" is dedicated to the fight against organised crime against the environment, an issue of particular concern to the Assembly and the countries of the region, given the serious damage it causes to the environment, human health and the economies of the Mediterranean countries.
Environmental protection and corresponding actions have always been high on the priorities of the Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly, as well as of the House of Representatives, and at this point I would like to stress that the House supports and actively participates in the regional consultations promoted by the Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly, aiming to harmonise, revise and strengthen the current legislative framework on environmental crime in such a way as to make it a deterrent to the commission of such offences. At the same time, it supports cooperation between public authorities to identify and successfully prosecute serious environmental offences, as well as all forms of organised crime.
Ladies and gentlemen,
21 March is also internationally commemorated as the "World Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination", in memory of the cold-blooded killing of sixty-nine (69) protesters by apartheid police in the South African city of Sharpsville in 1960. However, seven decades on, Western societies, fuelled by the migration crisis, international instability, populism and anti-democratic movements, are once again confronted with racist attitudes, xenophobia and atrocious crimes based on racism, as well as an unprecedented proliferation of hate speech in the public sphere.
As the House of Representatives, we express our firm commitment to combating racism and all other forms of discrimination through legislative initiatives and other actions. We also express our active support for ensuring respect for human rights and the value of human life.
Colleagues,
March 22 was established by the UN Conference on Environment and Development as "World Water Day", giving due importance to this essential commodity for our lives and especially to the need for proper management of water resources. In the face of the indiscriminate use and pollution of water, but also the now unprecedented effects of climate change at global level, with increasing intensity, duration and frequency of droughts and heat waves, among other things, groundwater, necessary components for survival and adaptation to climate change, is being depleted.
As the House of Representatives, we highlight and support efforts to protect and rationally use water resources, to raise awareness of the importance of water and to balance the needs of water supply and sanitation, agriculture or industry with sustainable ecosystem management.
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